Jessica Rabbit

Hi All, my friens lives in Toowoomba (QL) and she has been telling me that the supermarkets over there are totally different. What she actually said was "its like England 20 years ago". She loves it there but says she misses ASDA. I have been told that you have to go to a fishmonger for fish and a greengrocers for veg & a butchers for meat.

Is this the same everywhere or do they have supermarkets where you can buy everything under one roof ? It would be a bit of a pain to have to go to seperate shops for all of your foods (not that I dont like shopping )

Can anyone help me please?

moneypenny20

It's much nicer doing the food shopping in small shops, cheaper too. I do it here, glad they do it there too. Who said the Aussies were different

muzza

Walking into a supermarket in Oz is like walking back in time! That said, there is a lot of choice and I can't see why you wouldn't be able to get anything you want from the one store. Sometimes the big shopping malls have better supermarkets - for instance, the Coles at Southland in Melbourne is fantastic and about the only supermarket I've been to in Oz that doesn't look like it was last renovated in the 1970s!

zx10r_aus

Most supermarkets have there own deli, meat, bakery and greengrocer departments. I find it easier because I hate shopping. On the other hand some supermarkets are situated in big retail complexes, which have specialty fruit and veg, butchers and those sort of shops. You'll just have to look around at the area you'll be settling in, and see whats best.
Jim

matt-and-jenny

Hi!
I find supermarkets in Aus less sort of streamlined and clinical. They're not really bothered what they look like as much as Sainbury's etc. I really like how some things aren't as "packaged" aswell. They don't use as much plastic packaging on fruit and veg. Much better for the envirnoment!

JayDeee

The supermarkets have prety much everyhing that Uk supermarkets. The main difference (here in WA at least) is that you cant get alcohol in supermarkets only from bottle shops.

Although I use the supremarket I do now use the baker, butcher, greengrocer etc etc, I liekt he personal service you get in the local shops.
It takes a bit of getting used to especially the opening hours (things in WA are closed on Sundays except the odd shop) but after a while you just plan round that like people did 20 yrs ago I supose.

Kala

Ialibu

Yep, I found WA, NSW and Vic backward like that for booze :-) Canberra was/is a ripper for that, much more civilised. Toothpaste, talc, tinnies, t...

You have your choice. In the newer suburbs you have the huge shopping malls. In the older suburbs you have the smaller individual shops.

And in the older settled areas you get the ethnic speciality shops, German and Brit butchers etc.

DollyDaydream

What I first found rather sweet and then turned into being rather annoying is that the check-out person always says something like "G'day, how are you today?". First thought ah how sweet it was until you hear it again, and again, and again!!!!

Found that they had some things we don't get over here which were better(missed my fruity HP sauce though!). I found them OK and no problems at all in doing your regular weekly shop, the different array of veggies & fruits you can get are good. Some fruits we'd never heard of before! We certainly kept Safeway & Coles in business. Oh and the opening hours. Most were open 7 days a week and close around 8 - 10pm). Tried my first Lammington and loved 'em. Found it amusing to find Happy Chappie Fido Fillets (or whatever the product was) was in the same freezer compartment as the pork chops for us humans (didn't bother me as I don't eat the stuff).

Came back armed with green Coles bags! (mind you that was MrDD's fault, everytime we went for a shop he'd say, you may as well get another couple of bags whilst we're here!!!!). I'm surprised we managed to get through customs with the added weight!

D D

Neil S

What I like about Oz supermarkets is that they always pack the carrier bags for you and also they are open from 6am to midnight around here even on a Sunday. Also Safeway and Coles in Mornington both have their own liquor stores right next to the main shop. The diversity of the fruit is good, but I have to say I don't think the quality of the grapes/peaches/strawberries in Safeway are as good as in the UK. The seem to go off quicker. You sort of get used to the checkout assistants always saying 'how are you today', suppose they are just trying to be nice.

ABCDiamond

Supermarkets have different hours in different areas.
Where we were in Sydney they were open 24 hours a day, but closed 6pm Sunday to 7am Monday.
Here in SE QLD, its 8am till 9pm, but only 8am to 5pm on Saturday and 9am to 6pm on Sunday (Staying open later on a Sunday than a Saturday is still a bit odd to me.)

All the supermarkets i've been in have there own deli, meat, bakery and greengrocer departments, but I prefer to use the regular shops for those things. Most of them also have a liquor store right next to or very near them.

I did go into one old supermarket close to the City recently and it did remind me of something from the 70's. It made me realise how good the local ones we have are.

I love the checkout girls always saying "how are you today", or "hows your day been so far" or "what have you got planned for today".
Just wish I was 20 years younger to take advantage of these chat up opportunities

Badge

You could say, "well, I was planning to take you for a ride in my Sandman this arvo"

I can't say I've noticed that the supermarkets are behind. They sell all the usual things that people eat bugger me. Never occurred to me in a year until I came on this site. Half the crap on sale in the UK I never bought anyway. I'd be quite happy buying from a 1950s grocer.

Badge

ABCDiamond

What's a "Sandman" ?

Megalania

Polite euphemistic trademark for "shagg'n wagg'n".

Pollyana

Ou you poor little innocent! Think "shagging wagon" - like a covered ute, the best ones had curtained windows at the sides and were made pretty to attract the girls......The Bloke tells me this is all heresay from his mates of course, never used one himself!

Scossie

Don't agree with any of the, "step back in time", or "totally different" comments.

I reckon there's not much difference to the Supermarkets in The UK.
It anything, I would say that the deli, fresh meat, and fruit n veg sections have more choice in Australia.